Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled International development in a contested world: ending extreme poverty and tackling climate change, a white paper on international development, published on 20 November 2023, what recent progress his Department has made on developing a new strategy on children in conflict.

The UK recognises that protecting children from the effects of armed conflict is a moral, legal, and strategic imperative and essential in breaking the cycle of violence.

As announced in the International Development White Paper, published in November 2023, the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office is committed to publishing a children in conflict strategy. This will be the first UK Government strategy on this agenda and marks a step-change in our commitment to the protection of children affected by conflict. Officials are beginning work on the strategy.